The Circle of Strife
by The Little House Scribe
Summary: Some villains are clean with their kills. Others, however, enjoying drawing out the suffering of their victims. Ginny Weasley learns of Tom's preferences, and also of her important place in the Circle of Strife.


Being the youngest and only daughter of her family, some might have expected the slightly built Ginny Weasley to be accustomed to a life of pampering.

Whilst she did grow up with a certain degree of comfort, living with six older brothers and an adventurous spirit meant that Ginny was tougher than she looked.

But even those far tougher than her would have found her current predicament nigh unbearable.

It wasn't the unforgiving stone, or the cold that hung in the air. It wasn't the reek of the water, flowing past, nor the giant head of Salazar glaring out. The prospect of the gigantic monster, just metres away, was admittedly worrisome, but it wasn't the worst part of being immobilized in this dungeon of doom.

The worst came from her erstwhile friend, whose smug superiority made his evil deeds far, far worse. Unable to move thanks to some dark magic, the young girl was forced to be aware of everything the self-styled Lord of All and Sundry was doing.

To begin with, all Tom Riddle (That was the villain's name. Not that he'd want you to know) did was proclaim how foolish Ginny was and how utterly cunning and wise he was to put up with her annoyances in order to get what he wanted, and how she blundered into his cleverly built trap. Although no one likes to be called foolish, Tom was in Ginny's head, so try as she might to ignore him, it wasn't possible.

Then Tom went on to brag about his prowess of being a book, but that he wanted to feel a wand in his hand again, and that with that wand many calamities would show his path through the world.

As time went on, the pain of what Tom was doing became greater. Though her body was untouched, Tom was using magicks most foul, of such details I will not go into for the sake of the sensibilities of my readers and common human decency. Suffice to say that if prospect of being eaten alive is horrible, having your very essence of self and existence torn to shreds, to have your soul ripped apart, away from where it belongs in perpetuity is inexpressible.

"Having a change of heart, are we?" Tom, (in Ginny's mind) asked, as her thoughts of helplessness and hatred were replaced with a more…accepting mindset.

"Well, I was thinking that it might be better if you succeeded."

If minds could convey surprise, and Tom could be surprised – this is when he would have been. Despite the connection of minds, Tom wasn't scouring every one of Ginny's thought processes – draining a soul takes a lot of skill, and Tom wasn't distracting himself too much.

"Finally given up, have we? Have we realised our ultimate fate?"

"No, but if it's the choice of destroying your diary dwelling or punching you until your lights go out, I know which one will give me more satisfaction. And if I don't survive to that point – well, someone else will just have to have the pleasure." Ginny started imagining an admittedly ugly, yet more aesthetically pleasing visage than Tom's real face, before imagining a fist repeatedly striking it. It didn't affect Tom too much, but it did make Ginny feel a little better for a bit.

The dim chamber was receding from view. Ginny's external senses seemed to be closing down, she was slipping away, as her body was shutting itself off. If it could be explained with a metaphor, it could be said she was going into hibernation.

Although her predicament was terrible, Tom wasn't exactly pleased with his progress. Despite all his planning, Ginny's resistance was stronger than he anticipated, and she was making him pay dearly for all his slow progress. Time was of the essence for Tom; whilst he was stronger, he was even corporeal yet, and although he intended to lure Harry Potter down to the chamber, there was always the chance that someone like Albus Dumbledore would come instead. Facing Dumbledore at full strength was difficult enough, but Tom was under no illusion that such a fight in his current state would end in his utter destruction. If he was lucky, he'd take the girl with him if such a scenario arose – if he couldn't destroy his enemy physically, he'd devastate him emotionally.

"Pah!" Thought Tom. "Emotions. Such weaknesses." Tom thought he was rather clever for thinking up such an elaborate trap for his great foe. He had to go and lord it over his victim (whilst being annoyingly vague in the process).

"Your pathetic struggles are useless, little girl." Tom conveyed to her. "Your death is inevitable."

Ginny does not like being called a 'little girl', even if she is on the small side, for her spirit is strong. And Tom had ignited that spirit of resistance a little.

"Oh, really. Obviously you're referring to my death of boredom, because that's going to kill me long before you finish whatever it is you're doing."

Now you might very well point out the folly in insulting someone who is draining your soul, and is a dark wizard of no small prowess in magicks most foul, but Ginny had a plan. If, as Tom said, she was going to die rather soon, she wanted to go on the best terms for her – and pave the way for Tom's demise, if she couldn't manage it herself.

If Tom wouldn't kill her instantly (and she suspected he wouldn't, she figured he needed her alive for some reason – probably to do with intense struggle she engaged in yet did not fully understand), then he might give some excuse as to why he was keeping her alive. (Quite correctly, she expected it was not because of any mercy.)

"It just makes more sense to get rid of me now. The longer you leave it, the more chance of something going against you. And there's always the chance you'll be discovered, and it could be dangerous for you if you have to fight the interloper on one hand and me on the other."

Tom laughed, a high, cruel laugh, barking with amusement. "You? YOU! As if you're any threat to me!"

"All the same, why risk it? Why don't you just kill me?"

"Your punishment must be more severe." Tom replied. "You must understand the difference between simple power (Which I possess) and using that power to get more power. Sure, killing you will bring instant gratification, but I won't be able to use you to accumulate more."

Ginny, idiotic as usual (so Tom thought), didn't seem to get it.

"Think of it this way." Said Tom, never one to back down from villains explanations of his plots to his helpless victims. "If I kill you, you're dead, and that's it. You suffer the worst fate of all, yes, but well, that's it. I can't do anything more to you. Meh, I might be able to animate your body to do my evil bidding." Tom said dismissively.

"You think death is the worst?" Although Ginny wasn't partial to the idea of dying, she at least, could see that there were worse things than death, a fact that seemed to escape Tom's understanding.

"But on the other hand." Tom went on. "By keeping you alive for now, I get to draw out my advantage and thereby reap all possible rewards."

"Torture?"

"Yes. But not of your body. Of your soul. I will have a whole school at my mercy, and you will watch as I torment them all. And then, when you have truly understood the depths of your failure, you will have my permission to die."

"Your plan has a flaw, Tom. Surely the very act of my disappearance would be setting events in motion to evacuate the school."

"Do you honestly think that he will stand idle while this is happening? I've been planning for this moment for months. Once the foul mudblood Granger was petrified, he and his faithful sidekick would have stopped at nothing to find out the secrets of the Chamber and its monster."

Tom felt a shock as Ginny's anger at his rotten way of referring to Hermione made itself known. It didn't really do much, but if Tom had been watching the signs, he might've gotten worried. It had been hours since Ginny disappeared, and despite the time, Ginny's struggling was intensifying, and Tom's progress was slowing.

He wanted to meet Harry when Ginny was gone, and when Tom was at full strength. Tom knew that if Ginny was still alive, Harry would probably struggle so much harder than he would if she was dead. This was something Tom wanted to avoid; he wanted to get away before Dumbledore inevitably turned up.

Of course, Ginny didn't know all this at that moment, and it seemed like her meagre struggles were useless.

"Perhaps a song. Yes, yes. Music can convey what I mean."

Fear that she hadn't felt before rushed through Ginný's veins. I'm sure you'd agree that the prospect of Voldemort singing is rather frightening, to say the least.

Tom began by singing something nonsensical in parseltongue. Then, most horrifically, words and lyrics began to form.

"_With the power I derive from your lifeforce_

_And with magic, draw it to me,_

_There's more power than you'll ever understand_

_More to drain than can ever be known._

_My skill is too great to comprehend _

_And my wisdom in this matter is great._

_So my plan, over all it will span._

_Each you of you, one and all,_

_In the Circle of Strife! _

_And it moves you all,_

_Through despair and hope_

_Through fate, my plans, _

_Til you find your place, on a path pre-empted_

_In the circle, the circle of strife." _

Tom had most likely horrifically warped what was probably a very nice song. It was what Tom did.

Tom then left abruptly, and Ginny was alone. Although he was still draining her, she couldn't sense him in her mind any longer, beyond his invasive presence. He didn't seem to want to communicate any longer. Her eyes, opening slightly, vaguely saw his form emerge from the diary, as she slipped from consciousness, all she could do was hope.


End file.
